Folks - In the early '90s Tim Cannon loaned me a sack full of old FMIG issues, constituting my first foray into the world of SL-SF prototype modeling (THANK YOU Tim!) I made substantial photocopies at my college library when I probably should have been studying. Included are a couple pages of caboose photos from the Steve Squibb collection, including outside-braced #952. My questions: What were the origins of this one? Was it assigned to a particular area (looks like it'd be suited for branch or transfer work only)? Disposition Date (photo has yellow handrails and "FRISCO" coonskin so I'm guessing this is a post-WWII photo)? Any photos that anyone has that can be shared? My copy is dark and grainy at best. I can only imagine that it was the car shop's first attempt at converting excess boxcars to caboose service, well before the PS-1 to wide-vision caboose conversions by the CMS. Thanks!
Folks: Given enough time to browse, I finally found more info along with a photo of this caboose: http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/frisco/friscoline/images/photos/p00864.jpg The caption indicates it was built from a 126000 OB boxcar. However, the photographer, source, location or date is unknown. In the absence of any other info on it, I'm putting it on my "to model" list. I figure it will make a good transfer caboose for our KC Terminal.
Hey Chris, that caboose likes like it could be kitbashed from a sawtooth boxcar kit from Westerfield.
Gosh, Jim, I don't know that I could start hacking away at a nice Westerfield kit! Your note did get me thinking, though. I have a Tichy USRA single sheathed XM on which I've had a few false starts. The last time I took it on a road trip for work, I realized I'd snapped off my last #79 and #80 drill bits, and I haven't started on it since. On the presumption that #952 is just too blasted unique for a drawing to exist somewhere, I might try to extrapolate dimensions from the aforementioned photo, rough up a drawing and see if the Tichy kit would be a good candidate.